Each week here at UnsafeFoods we collect all of the recalls that have been announced for the week into a “one stop shop” post. This week, popcorn and trail mix are among the items under recall for undeclared allergens. We are also focusing on items in both the United States and Canada this week as well as import and other inspection concerns.

UNDECLARED ALLERGENS

Trail Mix

On August 25, 2017, Loblaw Companies Limited in Ottawa, CA issued a recall for its President’s Choice® Blue Menu Trail Mix for the presence of undeclared allergens. The trail mix was found to have the presence of wheat and soy materials, which are not declared on the label. Those with what or soy allergies, or gluten sensitivity are put on notice to not eat this product. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is currently conducting an investigation into this recall. The good news is that no illnesses have been linked to this recall at this time. The product recalled bears the following information:

Product

Size

UPC

Codes

President’s Choice® Blue Menu

Trail Mix

250 g

0 60383 18390 5

Best Before 2018 JN 14

The CFIA puts consumers on notice that their investigation may lead to the recall of other products.

Jerky

On the same day, Soo Jerky Ltd. commenced its recall of its Sue’s Jerky brand Sweet Sesame Pork Jerky also for undeclared allergens. The affected products were sold individually and in a Variety Pack. The products contain undeclared fish, which could be especially dangerous for those with fish allergies in the form of a severe allergic reaction or even death.

The recalled products were sold in British Columbia and Ontario, Canada, as follows:

Brand

Product

Size

UPC

Codes

Sue’s Jerky

Sweet Sesame Pork Jerky

40 g

0 65717 61053 9

778085, 775687

Sue’s Jerky

Variety Pack

12 x 40 g

0 65717 62005 7

776382, 777186, 778086, 776087, 776287, 777288

Even though no illnesses have been related to this recall, the CFIA is currently conducting an investigation into this recall.

Popcorn

Also this week, Dedinas-Franzak Enterprises issued a recall of its Big Win, Butter Popcorn. The recall is again for undeclared allergens; this time, milk is the culprit. As the product, which contained artificial flavors, may also contain milk, those who have a milk sensitivity may be at risks. Risks include a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. The recall stems from a non-illness related consumer complaint in relation to flavor issues. We are happy to report no illnesses are the subject to this recall at this time.

The affected products were sold in 5 ounce packets, bearing the UPC #0-11822-58492-0 and an expiration date stating “16FEB2018.” This date code can be found in black printed on the front top right of the package. The recall includes about 3,000 units of the product, which were distributed at various Rite Aid locations throughout the United States.

MISBRANDING AND ALLERGENS

Chicken Sausage

Again on August 25, 2017, DiLuigi Foods Inc. of Davers, MA issued a recall of about 3,448 pounds of chicken breakfast sausage [PDF] products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens. The affected products were sold at various Trader Joe’s locations in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington D.C.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that the product “contains soy lecithin, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label.” The affected items were produced between August 10, 2017 and August 24, 2017, and bear establishment number “P-4398” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The label on the package states: of “TRADER JOE’S CHICKEN BREAKFAST SAUSAGE.” They were also sold in one-pound vacuum-sealed packages with 5 pieces contained within.

As with the other recalls this week, we report that there are no illnesses or adverse reactions related to this recall.

Beef

Another United States company, Blossom Foods, LLC of Oakland, California, issued a recall this week based on misbranding and allergens. The recall includes 15,092 pounds of beef, chicken and pork products, according to the notice by the FSIS. The products are frozen assorted meat and poultry items and were produced between August 23, 2016 and August 23, 2017. They bear an expiration date that is one year from the date of packaging and the establishment number “EST. 51200” or “P-51200” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The affected products were shipped to institutional locations in California and Ohio.

The FSIS puts the public on notice that the affected products contain soy and wheat, which are not declared on the products’ labels.

The items subject to recall are:

6-lb. case of “Barbequed Beef, Corn, Baked Beans”

5-lb. case of “Barbeque Beef”

10-lb. case of “Savory Beef”

5-lb. case of “Sesame chicken

10-lb. case of “Spanish Beef”

5-lb. case of “Barbeque Pork”

5-lb. case of “Breakfast Sausage”

10-lb. case of “Beef”

5-lb. case of “Chicken and Dumplings, Peas, Rutabaga”

The FSIS confirmed in its notice that:

“The mistake was discovered on Aug. 22, 2017, when FSIS Inspection Program Personnel observed that the establishment utilizes a soy protein concentrate in the production of several products, but the finished product labels do not declare soy. In addition, some of the same products contain wheat flour and wheat is also not declared on the finished product labels.”

Again, no illnesses or adverse effects have bene linked to this recall.

NO BENEFIT OF IMPORT INSPECTION

On August 26, 2017, Ronald A. Chisholm, Ltd. of Toronto, Ontario issued a recall of approximately 12,169 pounds of skinless pork belly products in conjunction with the FSIS. These products were shipped to various restaurants in Hawaii. The products were confirmed to be distributed to single distributor and three federal establishments.

The recall comes after the affected products were not presented at the United States point of entry for inspection by the FSIS. As the product have not received the lawful inspection, the pose a possible health threat.

According to the FSIS announcement, the products affected were made between June 27, 2017 and July 20, 2017. They also involve “[a]pproximately 40-lb. cardboard box containing “FLANC PORC, PORK BELLY.” The products bear case code “815157” and establishment number “10” inside the CFIA mark of inspection. The FSIS confirmed the issue was found:

“… on Aug. 23, 2017 by FSIS while conducting routine failure to present monitoring activities. FSIS discovered that a shipment of skinless pork belly products had entered the United States from Canada on or about July 29, 2017 and did not receive import inspection.”

Again, no illnesses are linked to this recall.

STATE ADVISORY ON GOURMET MUSHROOMS

The state of Wisconsin’s’ Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s Division of Food Safety announced this week that there is a health advisory linked to some of Brown Chicken Brown Cow Gourmet brand marinated mushrooms. These porducts are produced by Arty’s under the Brown Chicken Brown Cow brand. The health agents discovered a processing problem during a routine inspection. The company has thus far declined to issue a recall.

According to the notice:

“The two types of marinated mushrooms included in the advisory are Tasty Toadstools and Fiery Fungus. They are packaged in 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128 ounce glass jars and in vacuum-sealed pouches, with dates from May 1 of this year to the present. They were sold wholesale to two distributors. Officials have so far been unable to learn what retail stores sold them.”

There have been no illnesses associated with these products at this time.